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editor's note

Tanya Chaitanya (Editor Femina India)

For every doubting Thomas who tells you women can’t scale mountains, wrestle in the ring, endure physical hardship, your comeback should be a simple hashtag:#StandStrong.
There’s no bigger retaliation than success, they say. So show your calibre to these detractors or anybody who believes that we, as women, lack the potential to be physically as fit as men by being just that. Not to say that it will be an easy process.
The conditioning that we are not at par physically starts early. From the time we are offered a hand to bring down the cookie jar to when we are told not to lift too heavy a weight; when the sports selectors in schools bypass promising girl children or when the male friends refuse to count us in in any serious hiking plans—that feeling of being physically less is ingrained right from the beginning.
So how is it that we witness sportswomen like Mary Kom packing a punch in the arena or a badminton champ like PV Sindhu physically pushing herself to the limits? Or the fact that celebs like Jacqueline Fernandez, Taapsee Pannu, Katrina Kaif swear by their fitness routine and are known to train for longer hours than their male counterparts?
Then again look beyond these superwomen. Look around you. There are regular women storming into male bastions, physically-challenging professions and pursuits, and coming out triumphant. This new-found confidence comes with taking care of yourself, being cognizant of the fact that our body needs to be given TLC, from the right diet and nutrition to exercise and care to help us stand strong.
This is when I raise a toast: Here’s to strong women. May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them!

Karan Johar to read a letter penned for his twins

On Christmas Eve, Karan Johar is expected to read out for people across the country a very special message for his twins, Yash and Roohi. He has reportedly penned a soul-stirring letter addressed to his children and he will be reading it on the forthcoming episode of TED Talks India: Nayi Soch. The latter is a television show, hosted by Shah Rukh Khan, which invites personalities from various fields to share inspiring stories.

The episode featuring the 45-year-old highly successful Bollywood filmmaker and producer, expected to be telecast on 24 December, will apparently revolve around the topic of changing relationships in today's world. Karan will speak about being a single parent to Yash and Roohi, among other things. Roohi and Yash were born through surrogacy in February this year.

A part of the heartfelt letter that is being extensively reported in the media reads, "As you grow up, people will try to label you according to colour, looks, religion, popularity, and money. People will gossip about you, but know that no one can label you. Just because you are different, it doesn't make you wrong. You may be treated differently in school; mothers of your classmates will come to drop them, but you will have your father to take care of that. While most of your classmates' mothers will make a WhatsApp group to discuss your homework, I will be the only father in it."

Karan of course leads by example. He has carved a niche for himself in the industry and has never cared two hoots what others thought or said about his personal life. He has maintained that his recently released biography, 'An Unsuitable Boy', has been his final answer to the world and he will not get into any further details.

During all his recent interviews, Karan has always been candid about the brand new chapter in his life - parenthood. During a Filmfare chat show, Karan opened up about why he chose parenthood. He said, "A day after my 40th birthday, I just felt I needed to be a father. I knew I needed to be emotionally ready. So I went into therapy sessions and psychology discussions about what it is to be a father, what it is to raise a child without a mother and also at a certain age in your life. I was asked if the children are my backup plan for not having a love relationship in your life. I really had to go into my internal self to ask if that's true and the answer was no."

He added, "When I held them for the first time, I don't think I can describe the feeling. I cannot explain what I felt. I just sat in the chair and held my daughter first, as she is a little more vulnerable medically. I didn't even realise there were tears rolling down my face. That feeling cannot be replaced by any other emotion."